Bigger, better pot rally planned for Woodstock

WOODSTOCK - A rally with thousands of people smoking joints to support marijuana legalization will go ahead here next year if Jim Bender has his way.

"Strength is in numbers. The more people who come out, the more open the government will be to (legalization)," said Bender, who spearheaded a September rally of about 200 people smoking pot behind Lady Godiva's, a Dundas Street adult video store that sells marijuana paraphernalia including pipes.

However, the legalities of pot possession have changed since the first rally was held in late September. Earlier this month, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled in favour of protecting medical marijuana users and reinstated simple possession for non-medical use as a criminal offence.

At the first rally, police showed up about 30 minutes after the event started but didn't lay charges. Police officers were even offered a joint to try themselves, which they declined.

Bender couldn't say what will happen between police and any participants at the second rally.

"I really don't know. I'm hoping they're nice like they were the last time," he said.

The police response would be determined based on what the nation's pot possession laws are at the time of the rally, said Sgt. Don Thomas of the Oxford Community Police Service.

Since the court ruling, police have been instructed to lay charges against people with small amounts of marijuana once more. However, the pot possession rules could change again if the federal government gives the OK to a marijuana decriminalization bill.

A Commons committee had originally recommended decriminalizing amounts of 30 grams or less, but reports said an amount as low as 10 grams is being considered instead. The committee is to begin its examination of the bill Tuesday.

As for the Bender-proposed rally, its size would require some police planning beforehand, said Thomas.

Capitalizing on the city's name, Bender hopes to turn the next rally into something of a festival in the tradition of the 1960s Woodstock outdoor concert, bringing in bands and food vendors. The event could be held on a farm field on the city's fringe, he added, although a place hasn't been chosen yet. The rally could be held in June or July.

Even though he's got big plans, Bender said he isn't out to turn the Dairy Capital into the Pot Capital. But he said as the city grows - and 2003 is the city's biggest development year on record - marijuana use will become more prevalent locally.

He maintained pot should be legalized, not just decriminalized, so organized crime won't reap profits from marijuana sales. Instead, the government should rake in taxes from those sales and regulate them.

"The whole pot trade finances a lot of criminal activity."

Bender's pro-legalization moves also included dropping off a petition of about 300 names at the office of MP John Finlay (Oxford-Liberal) on Friday. People signed the petition at Lady Godiva's and in other parts of the city, he said.

"The biggest thing is, people were afraid to sign their names," he said, and that was the case even before the court decision.

"They thought the government would use it against them."

Some people came into the store specifically to sign the petition after it was promoted on the Internet, said Bender.